THE :J^ARBADA valley. 55 



winged teal * is scarcely less common ; and of larger 

 ducks, the red-headed pochard,t the wigeon,| the pintail,§ 

 and the gadwall, || are found throughout the winter 

 on nearly every tank of tolerable size. On the main 

 rivers, and on the larger reservoirs, such as those of 

 Bhandara and Lachora, in Nimar, which, though owing 

 their existence to the hand of man (the giants of past 

 days, who knew the requirements of India better than 

 their successors), yet approach the dignity of lakes, 

 many other species of wild fowl will be found, including 

 that king of ducks, the mallard,Tl the common gray 

 goose,*'* and the black-backed goose.tt The latter species 

 is extremely common ; the others, which are much 

 superior for the table, are comparatively infrequent. 

 Numerous wading birds, storks, herons, and cranes, 

 haunt every pool and marsh. Few of these offer much 

 temptation to the sportsman, except the Demoiselle 

 crane,|| generally known as the Coolen, which is much 

 sought after, and is therefore difficult to approach. Few 

 extensive wheat or gram fields in the Narbadii valley 

 will be found at this season without a flock of these 

 delicious birds stalking across it, in the morning and 

 evening, grazing on the young shoots. 



If encamped in the neighbourhood of a river or 

 swamp, the traveller will probably be aroused at day- 

 break by the quavering and sonorous call of the giant 

 Sarus crane,§§ a bird revered by the Hindus as a type of 

 conjugal afi'ection. They are nearly always seen in 

 pairs, and, should one of them be shot by the ruthless 



* Q. circia. H Anas hosclias. 



t Antlda ferina. ** Anser cinereus. 



X Mareca xyenelope. tt A. melarionotus. 



§ Dafila acuta. %% Antliropoides virgo. 



II Chandlelasmus streperus. §§ Grus antigone. 



